Episode 3

 フアントムの忘れ形見

The keepsake of the Phantom

As the morning sun rose across the horizons, its rays were spread upon the bodies that were shattered across a barren field. A girl was kneeling beside her grandfather’s body, begging him to open his eyes. Then, she heard the ominous cry of a demon beast as she watched the red moon disappearing into the morning rays…

After the Cevar Festival, although Elle Lag was acknowledged as Kuruda’s 59^th Cevar, she chose to spend her time at the inn, drinking gallons of beer instead of going to the artist’s place to have her statue made. Folly handed her a sheet of paper, which offered Elle a job as demon beast hunter. Elle turned the job offer down because she felt that it was boring. Immediately, Folly scolded her for rejecting since Elle had a lot of debts to pay.  Elle responded by saying that the Septia demon beast hunters should be the one doing the job instead. Folly quietly told her that the Septia no longer existed.

Then, they heard a group of rowdy men intimating a girl who offered them instant payment provided if they could show their abilities to her. One of them snatched the moneybag from her. The girl tried to retrieve it back but the rowdy (and drunken) men forced her into a corner. Luckily, Gau stepped in to rescue her while Elle sneakily took the moneybag from them. After counting the contents in the bag, Elle offered to show her power in return for the money. The girl instantly recognized Elle as the 59^th Cevar, Shadow Skill. Upon hearing the name, the rowdy men ‘volunteer’ to leave the inn without delay.

Later at another place, the girl told them that her grandfather was the leader of the Septia demon beast hunters. After the Cevar festival, they went to a village to capture a demon beast named the Moon King. However, the demon beast managed to escape from their traps, forcing the Septia demon beast hunters to chase after it. Sadly, that was the last time she saw them alive. Her only request for Elle was to help her into killing the demon beast. Elle agreed on the condition that the girl would tell them her name. The girl replied that her name was Kyou Rew.

Elle, Gau, Folly and Kyou went back to the village where the Moon King was seen. On the way, Kyou paid her respects at a burial site where she buried her grandfather and Septia demon beast hunters.  At night, the villagers told Elle that the Moon King usually appeared at night, particularly on nights when there was a full moon. Elle decided to go to the forest, as she disliked the gloomy atmosphere that was hanging over the entire village. At the forest, Elle was happily eating and drinking (much to Folly’s annoyance).  She then noticed two golden ring-like objects on Kyou’s belt. Feeling curious, she asked Kyou that the objects were. Kyou explained that they were called Cherings, weapons only used by Septias. Unfortunately, Kyou had not mastered the cherings yet.

Kyou then volunteered to collect water from a nearby river. Gau went along with her (mainly because Elle told him to). As they walked towards the river, Kyou learnt that Gau was a year younger than her and he was an adopted brother of Elle’s. Gau first met Elle when he was ten, during which his family was killed by a group of bandits.  Elle had saved him from them and since then, had been following her as her little brother.

At the river, Gau was about to collect the water when he saw the Moon King standing behind Kyou, who screamed instantly. Elle, Folly and a group of villagers instantaneously rushed down to the river, where they saw Moon King holding Kyou in its grasp. Elle used the Kuruda Annihilation Technique, Sword and sliced off the arm that held Kyou. But the Moon King’s arm regenerated and caught Kyou again. Gau recited the Martial Art language and used Kuruda Annihilation Technique, Haken. The Moon King was cut into pieces but it regenerated itself within a spilt second. The villagers fearfully explained that as long as there was a full moon, the Moon King was able to regenerate itself no matter how much injuries it had been afflicted with.

Elle decided to draw the Moon King into the traps. Kyou (still within the Moon King’s grasp) pleaded with everybody to leave her as she felt that she was not worth being saved. Elle angrily rebuked her pathetic attempt at sacrificing herself. Had Kyou forgotten that she was the last survivor of the Septias? Had Kyou forgotten what the cherings were used for?

Elle continued on saying that if Kyou insisted to do nothing, she would be disgracing the memories of her grandfather and the Septia demon beast hunters. Fortunately, Kyou was awakened by her words and managed to use the cherings on the Moon King. The Moon King was caught in the traps and Elle finally killed it with the Kuruda Annihilation Technique, Chainsaw.

The next day, Elle and Gau were about to leave the village when Folly reminded them about Kyou. Knowing that Kyou didn’t have any money to pay them, Elle kindly asked Kyou to join them. Kyou accepted her offer eagerly after promising upon the grave of her grandfather that she would become a full-pledge Septia.

Screen caps:

Kyou Rew	Demon beast Moon King	Kyou with her cherings

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